For scheduled and same-day delivery of, you guessed it, big and bulky items, the online grocery delivery service Instacart is introducing a "Big & Bulky" option
Instacart's Big & Bulky solution, according to Instacart Chief Product Officer Daniel Danker, "can provide customers with items like portable grills and tents for a tailgate or a 55-inch TV in case they're watching from home—all in as fast as an hour." Football season is just around the corner
Instacart warns against the misconception that "Big & Bulky" orders will need to be handled by "Instacart shoppers who drive large vehicles," lest you think an Instacart shopper will have to squeeze a huge TV into a hatchback
When using the Shopper app, current drivers of trucks or vans can choose to receive "Bulky Batches" by selecting "Access More Batches." According to the company's statement to TechCrunch, batch payments "will include heavy pay when applicable" and will be based on the quantity and weight of the items in the order
Instacart reports that 97% of customers with eligible vehicles chose to shop bulky batches during a pilot that took place from May to July
Instacart also introduced a short-and-light delivery option, which is available in some areas for people who prefer to transport orders using an electric bike or moped, for those who would rather not haul a file cabinet or bookcase to someone's home
According to TechCrunch, Instacart will begin testing these delivery options in a few cities in the US and Canada in the upcoming weeks
Just a few weeks prior, Instacart unveiled OrderUp, a feature that enables customers to add items from various retailers at no additional cost to a grocery shopping trip
Big Lots, Container Store, Mastermind Toys, Office Depot, Spirit Halloween, and Staples are among the first retailers to let Instacart shoppers pick up orders for heftier items